Mounted to a Nikon D3x, the AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR scores 19P-Mpix making it one of the sharpest 70-200mm telephoto lenses available from any manufacturer. The only other lens that comes close is Canon’s EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens at 18P-Mpix, but it comes at a price that is more than $1000USD higher.

Good scores almost across the board show the AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR to be a high performer overall and mark it out as a very good lens, especially given its relatively low price.

Looking at the DxOMark score rather than the P-MPix metric, the lens scores 23 overall. Again, for lenses with a focal length of 70-200mm, this is only bettered by the Canon lens mentioned previously.

Taking each of the lens testing metrics in turn, we can see quite why the overall score is so good. First up, the sharpness – the P-Mpix score of 19, on a camera that offers up to 24.5Mpix, shows that the lens is performing very effectively. Even when shooting wide open at f/4, the sharpness is even right across the frame.

Even looking at the most ‘testing’ scenario for a zoom lens – a wide open aperture at the shortest focal length – the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR shows completely even sharpness right across the frame.

Scoring 4.4TStop in the transmission tests is also impressive, especially for a zoom lens. It shows the optical design of the lens is very good, allowing high levels of light transmission relative to the stated maximum aperture of f/4.

As expected for a zoom lens, the AF-S70-200mm f/4G ED VR does show some distortion both at the wide and telephoto ends of the range (barrel and pincushion respectively). However, it is pretty well controlled and through the middle focal lengths of the lens it is almost completely absent. Even where there is some distortion though, it is never bad enough to be considered a problem.

The chromatic aberration score also shows the lens to have a good optical design. A score of 7 means there is some chromatic aberration, but in reality it is likely to be around 1pixel wide in a final image – certainly not enough to be a distraction or cause for concern in print.

The only area that lets this lens down then, is the vignetting score. At all focal lengths when shooting wide-open at f/4 there is more vignetting than is ideal. However, as soon as you stop the aperture down to f/5.6 or smaller, the vignetting almost completely disappears, so unless you plan on shooting at the maximum aperture all the time, this is not something to be unduly concerned with.

To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.

Fair resource on gear in the Internet

Quite useless without comparison with Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II

It's quite useless without comparison with Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II which, surprisingly, has yet to be reviewed/rated by DxO. What's with the long wait, or worse, DxO do not intend to rate it at all? The Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II is one of the most important lens used by professionals and others, so why no rating? Very, very strange.

First replies for this comment

Re: Quite useless without comparison with Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II

Good remark, we knew that the 70-200 VR II was missing but we did not want to postponed the publication of the 70-200 f/4. The 70-200mm VR II is already planed and is currently measured in our labs, measurement should be able in few weeks.

Re: Quite useless without comparison with Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II

Quote:

Good remark, we knew that the 70-200 VR II was missing but we did not want to postponed the publication of the 70-200 f/4. The 70-200mm VR II is already planed and is currently measured in our labs, measurement should be able in few weeks.

Re: Quite useless without comparison with Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II

Sharpness as a function of camera

If you look at the sharpness of this lens for various cameras, you get:

D600: 18P-MpixD3X: 19P-MpixD800: 20P-MPixD800E: 30P-MPix

I think that these results prove that there is something seriously wrong with the way you define sharpness. There is no way that D600/D3X and D800 are so close and D800E is so above.

For the D800/D800E comparison, I know that you compare the sharpness of the image without any sharpness applied to the picture. It is obvious that a camera with anti-aliasing filter needs (and can handle) more sharpening than a camera without one. Therefore, the comparison is not fair.

I stil don't understand why the D600 and D800 results are so close. It just does not match what you get when you compare a crop of a D800 and a crop of a D600 picture upscaled to 36MP.

First replies for this comment

Re: It will be great

Nikon 1,2,3 stop !!!

Hi I have the 70-200 2.8 VRII course! assumptions and four steps is unmatched by other nikon lens, but does magic on their four steps must add good arm and photographic technique. is that I read the comments in various forums and it seems we buy a wand, if the same thing again, is not better photographer with better equipment, remember that the picture comes in our head and then goes to the sensor.